AUTHOR=Li Shushan , Wang Haitao , Zhang Yi , Qiao Renqiu , Xia Peige , Kong Zhiheng , Zhao Hongbo , Yin Li TITLE=COL3A1 and MMP9 Serve as Potential Diagnostic Biomarkers of Osteoarthritis and Are Associated With Immune Cell Infiltration JOURNAL=Frontiers in Genetics VOLUME=12 YEAR=2021 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/genetics/articles/10.3389/fgene.2021.721258 DOI=10.3389/fgene.2021.721258 ISSN=1664-8021 ABSTRACT=Background

Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common age-related degenerative diseases. In recent years, some studies have shown that pathological changes in the synovial membrane occur earlier than those in the cartilage in OA. However, the molecular mechanism of synovitis in the pathological process of OA has not been elucidated. This study aimed to identify novel biomarkers associated with OA and to emphasize the role of immune cells in the pathogenesis of OA.

Methods

Microarray datasets were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and ArrayExpress databases and were then analyzed using R software. To determine differential immune cell subtype infiltration, the CIBERSORT deconvolution algorithm was used. Quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) was used to determine the relative expressions of selected genes. Besides, Western blotting was used to assess the protein expression levels in osteoarthritic chondrocytes.

Results

After analyzing the database profiles, two potential biomarkers, collagen type 3 alpha 1 chain (COL3A1), and matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9), associated with OA were discovered, which were confirmed by qRT-PCR and Western blotting. Specifically, the results revealed that, as the concentration of IL-1β increased, so did the gene and protein expression levels of COL3A1 and MMP9.

Conclusion

The findings provide valuable information and direction for future research into novel targets for OA immunotherapy and diagnosis and aids in the discovery of the underlying biological mechanisms of OA pathogenesis.